Improvement in hydrant-valves



J. C. KUPFERLE & P. WHITE.

HYDRANT-VALVE.

No.174,824. Patented March 14, 1876.

.555/ w/e/ A @KW/ifa @455 N. PETERS. PHOTO LWHOGRAPNE JOHN '0. KUPFERLE AND PETER WHITE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN HVDRANT-VALVES.

Specilication forming part of VLetters Patent No. 174,824, dated March 14, 1876; application tiled January 26, 1576.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN O. KUPFERLE and PETER WHrTE, both of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented an Improved Hydrant, of which the following is a specitication:

This invention relates especially to hydrantvalves for discharging liquids or iiuids, although the constructive principle is also applicable for closet-valves and valve-cocks in general.

This invention relates to an improved construction of parts 5 also to their combination to operate in thel manner as will now more fully appear.

Ot' the drawing, Figure l is a sectional elevation, showing the operative parts when the hydrant is running and waste is closed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed section of thefoperating parts when the hydrant is closed and waste is running. Figs. 3 and 4 are respective details of detail parts, Fig. 5 being a de tail View of the forked lever and pin.

A, Fig. l, is a suitable housing. B, Figs. l and 2, is the shell or body of the cock, and which We adapt for the operating parts as follows: At b is a valve-seat. At b1 we provide annular screw-threads to secure the cage. At b2 is a shoulder or seat for theelastic ball or washer. The top part of the shell at b3 is forced oft', making a seat for a funnelshaped casting. Also, forming part of B, is the inlet-branch B', and discharge-branch B2, to which, respectively, the water-inlet pipe, as well as discharge-pipe or nozzle, ,are connected, and as shown in Fig. 1. The shell B thus cast or made by its side ianges is properly secured within the housing A. c is the valve proper. This forms part of a valve-stem, ol. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Immediately above lthe valve its stem is triangular-shaped tocreate inlet-spaces for the water to rise. The .valve o operates on the under side of its seat, and so that when lowered the water tinds ents-ance to be discharged from the hydrant, and when said valve rises from the pressure it closes against its seat. A Washer, c2, (see Figs. l, 2,) is passed over the valvestem cl to seat top ot' valve-seat, and form a water-tight joint for the cage.

D is a cage, being a cylinder casting open at top and bottom, having outside upper screw-v rrED STATES Vwith an interior funnel shape, and having Pscrew-threads at bottom to engage screw- PATENT 10: Frida.

threads at d, loosely-tting inner lugs at d1, port-holes atdz, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The threads on'the cage are to secure same stationary to the threads of the shell at b1, While the lugs 'dl are to engage corresponding grooves in a center valve stem to permit same and its lower connected parts to be raised and lowered; also, to enable the cage to be screwed or unscrewed from the shell by the turning of said center stem.

The cage D ispassed on the valve-stein c1, and this is next connected to the center valve-` stem E, the ltop threads Ot' the valvestem for this purpose being screwed into the socket end of said stern E, and as vshown in Figs. l' and 2. It is, therefore, an easy matter to re,` place the lower washer or valve or stein, when said parts need repairs.

Further, we provide the center stem E with an elastic ball, E', securely seated between an upper flange at e and the lower shoulder at e1. (See Figs. l and 2.) The ball E (which can be also a washer or its equivalent) is chiey for the purpose of stopping oi' waste when the valve is open, it being operated to this end to close on its seat at b, and when raised to permit the waste to escape. It can, therefore, be here stated that the play of the cage around the center stem E, as well as the play of the lugs el in said stein, is sut'- iicient to permit the lwaste Water to enter the waste port of the shell and to be discharged from same through Waste-holes e2.

To the center stem E is further connected the rod F; hence this has its lower squareshaped end engaging the socket at top of the said stem E, the joint being completed by a coupling-pin, f. (See Fig. l.) This connection permits us to use cheap or ordinary rods, the lower parts being of brass. Y

G is a funnel-shaped casting, (see Figs. l 4 and 2,) which rests on the top shoulder b3 of the shell B. (See Fig. l.) It can either be the casting, as shown, or a pipe or tubing threads which can be provided on the inner face of b3. l The purpose ot this funnel casting is t guide the insertion properly ot' the rod F ca r. rying the lower operating parts described, n1

order to seat same in-operativeposition in the shell of the cock. Said casting has itssides properly secured to the sides of the housing.

H, Figs. 1 and 4, is a fulcrum-pla-te for the hand-lever I. The partH consists of a face# plate, h, forming part of which are projecting lugs h. (See Fig. 1.) The top of the lugs and plate is left open to receive the handlever.

We secure the part H by its face to the side of the housing, having its lugs projecting inside. (See Fig. l.) Y The hand-lever I has its fulcrum at i, fits inner end in form forked (see Fig. 5) so as to be capable of easy connection and disconnection from the rod F, and also so that same can be, beside its recprocation, lturned, in order to screw or unscrewits lower parts, and fol-A low up wear of parts. Hence, the forked-end of the lever engages a sleeve, t1, which 'is secured to the rod, and so that'the lever-bearings at i2 shall engage the top and lower flanges at if of said sleeve. (See Fig. y1.) yA

coupling-pin, i4, securesthe connection.

J Figs. 1 and 3, is a-circular plate or-casting. This has holes j surroundiugits.entire circumference, inline withthe top of the-heus.v ing, to which itis secured. Further, J has in its center asquare hole, j', tocengagetheicorresponding top ofthe rod "F, the object of the holej being to enable us to secure the plate' at any point to the top of thehousing, and according to the required position determined by that of the rod F and its lower parts.y Further, this connection ofthe plate J to rod F servesto steady and guide same vin vits 4operation, and otherwise it can bevused in'iplace of a wrench to turn the saidrod,fscrewor unscrew its cage, and ca use the `valve-gear to follow up wear that takes place and to prevent `leakage of the parts. K'is the topcoveror cap. This simply covers the top of the housing, also the open socket-top ofthe -fulcrumplate H, and as shown in Fig. 1.

The parts being thus constructed and ar` ranged the operation of our'hydrant will be' as follows:' By raising the lever `it presses Adown the rod F and opens the valve c, allowing the liquid to pass out of the dischargepipe. At the same time the elastic ball E' is` pressed against the flat or taper seat `in the, top of the shell b, thus making the top joint-y von wastebole perfectly .tight while thepressure is passing through. When the llever is released, its weight, together with the pressure of the fluid, raises the valve cfup against@ `the seat, which immediately shuts off Ythe main pressure. At same time the elastic ball is raised, thereby allowing the fluid that rei' mains in the pipe to pass out of the waste-V hole, preventing freezing, &c. Incase ofl repairs the cap is removed from the Vbox, the handlever is disconnected from its fulcrum-pin, also drawn out from the sieeve i', which leaves the vrod F free and easily to be unscrewed by a wrench, which forces :the cage `to unscrew, and thus the whole valve can be removed from the box. When repaired the parts are replaced by screwing the cage tight to its place, (the funnel guiding this operation.) This done, replace lever and cover, and the hydrant is ready for reuse.

What we claim is- 1. `The cage D, having inner lugs at d1, in combination with corresponding grooves in the loweriendof a center valve-stem, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The cage D, having screw-threads at d, in combination with the threaded shoulder b1 of the shell B, as and for the purpose set forth.

`3. The. center valve stem E, having shoulders e el, and carrying an elastic ball, E', as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The lower valve-stem c1, carrying valve c, washer cage D, in combination with a center Vvalve-stem, E, as set forth.

5.1'The washerez, in combination with the cage D `and valvefseat b, as and for the purposesetforth.l

`6. The lower valve-stem c, its lvalve c,

washer c2, cage D, center valve-stem E, and

shell B, said parts being constructed to operateas and for the purpose set forth.

7. Theshell B, having screw-threads at b, shoulder-b2 and b3, as and for the purpose set forth.

`8. VThe center valve-stem E, carrying a-ball,

E, the lowerivalve-stem c1, carrying valve c, lthe washer c2, the cage D,having threads at d,inner lugs at d1,vin lcombination with the shell B, -having valve-seat-b, screw-threads at b1,'shonlder at bsubstantially as and for the purpose lset forth.

9. The rod F, secured by pin f to a center valve-stem, E, carrying ball E', the lower stem -c Icarrying .valve c, the washer c2, in combination with a cage, D, to operate as and forthe purpose set-forth. p'

l0. The fulcrum-plate H, consisting lof a face-plate, h, having inner projecting lugs, as andffor the purpose set forth.

11. The connection ofthe forked lever I by a coupling-pin, i", in combination with the sleevetl, having shoulders i3, tooperate in the manner shown and described, andfor the purrpose set forth.

i12. The circular plate J, having holes j and `square center j', as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The combination of the circular plate J, with thevrod'F, to operateas and for the purpose set forth. j

14. The conibination'of the cap K with a fulcrum-plfz'te, H, consisting of a face-plate, h, in order to close the top of said face-plate, as set forth.

In testimony of said invention we have hereunto set our hands in presence of witnesses.

JOHN C. KUPFERLE.

Witnesses: PETER WHITE.

WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, JOHN D. HENGER. 

